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Medieval


Wistful Revivals: Jonah & Lazarus as promises of resurrection in Christian Art
Resurrection of Lazarus, 12th c. capital, San Piedro el Viejo, Huesca, Spain Stating the obvious: medieval Christian churches reference...
Carolyn Whitson
4 days ago10 min read
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Private Anguish, Public Martyrdom: the funeral monument plaque of Francesca Pitti Tornabuoni
This post is about a portrayal of maternal death and stillbirth--if you'd prefer not to read about this, please stop now. Bas-Relief of...
circe927 chezcirce@gmail.com
Mar 3010 min read
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"Church" and "Synagogue" in Religious Art
Once early Christianity became the dominant religion in Western Europe, the Eastern story of a Jewish messiah in a culture under Roman...
circe927 chezcirce@gmail.com
Feb 2610 min read
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Red in Hoof and Claw: Revelation's Beasts in the York Apocalypse Window
The Lamb before the Elders, Revelation 5: 8-10 The Great East Window of York Minster is the largest expanse of stained glass in England,...
Carolyn Whitson
Feb 412 min read
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Creatures Great and Small in York's Apocalypse in Stained Glass
York East Window, 1405-7, The Seventh Day of Creation Talk about biting off more than one can chew: the Great East Window of York Minster...
Carolyn Whitson
Jan 216 min read
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
In my previous two posts , I discussed medieval symbolic animals which derived from real-life creatures, and then the Monstrous Races,...
Carolyn Whitson
Dec 29, 20248 min read
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Strangers from a Strange Land: "Monstrous Races" in Medieval Religious Art
Triton, ridden by Poseidon, backgammon game piece, walrus ivory, Louvre Museum, Norway or Cologne origin, late 12th c. Mythical...
Carolyn Whitson
Nov 20, 202410 min read
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The Oak Menagerie: Allegorical Animals in English Misericords
Tiny lion, Worcester Cathedral, 14th c. While much of the ornamentation in a medieval church was instructional or devotional, the...
Carolyn Whitson
Nov 10, 20245 min read
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The Bronze Doors of San Zeno: Poisoned Beauty
Portals in medieval churches were often imbued with imagery of the contrast between sin and salvation, punishment and redemption. The...
Carolyn Whitson
Jul 7, 202414 min read
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"But I really want to do horses...": The Master Carvers of Fidenza
The sculptural program in Fidenza's San Donnino is an oft-overlooked set of masterpieces. Fidenza is a small town compared to the much...
Carolyn Whitson
Jun 9, 202411 min read
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Santa Sabina & The Complicated Past
Often, examining an object found in an old church is a lot like playing "Where's Waldo?" in reverse. You have your "Waldo," the special...
Carolyn Whitson
Mar 18, 202412 min read
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Welcome to the Working Week...Demons and their Jobs in Medieval Art
In my last post, I began the Herculean task of trying to give a general overview of demons in medieval art. I came away from writing...
Carolyn Whitson
Feb 7, 202411 min read
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Devil's Gonna Get You!
13th c. capital of a sinner being devoured, Saint Pierre, Chauvigny, France A nasty case of Covid pretty much bankrupted my energy for...
Carolyn Whitson
Feb 3, 20245 min read
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Works and Days (a hymn, but not to Hesiod)
12th century mosaic, Bobbio, depicting the month of March, emphasizing wind (I think) By the time March arrives, the January 1st...
Carolyn Whitson
Mar 19, 20236 min read
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Origins of Sirens
On October 25th, 2022, I gave a lecture at Metropolitan State University on the Origins of Sirens. In the presentation, I trace how...
Carolyn Whitson
Nov 6, 20222 min read
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Time Travel through the French Monuments Museum in Paris
I love when a museum makes learning fun. The French Monuments Museum (FMM, for brevity here) in Paris gives a presentation that is...
Carolyn Whitson
Aug 16, 20225 min read
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What Child is *This*?
Medieval artists had a standard repertoire of scenes from the life of Jesus to reproduce in churches and personal religious items. ...
Carolyn Whitson
Dec 26, 20216 min read
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Crypt of the Original Sin
Caves evoke mystery to a modern person. We're so used to having all the light we want, wherever and whenever we go. Our interiors are...
Carolyn Whitson
Sep 5, 20217 min read
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The Lion King, Part 3
Let's look at some less-well-known uses of lions in medieval art, including art from outside the Christian tradition. Sanctuary Knocker,...
Carolyn Whitson
Jul 14, 20219 min read
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The Lion King, Part 2
The use of lions in medieval religious and political art hews closely to the traditions inherited from around the Mediterranean. Lions...
Carolyn Whitson
Jul 10, 20214 min read
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